New Santa Ana | Category Archives: Crime

Man charged with trafficking a 16-year-old girl in Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Oakland

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Date: July 28, 2015

Case # 15WF1641

MAN TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR TRAFFICKING 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL TO ENGAGE IN COMMERCIAL SEX ACTS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man is expected to be arraigned today for trafficking a 16-year-old girl to engage in commercial sex acts throughout California. James Justin Williams, 31, Oakland, is charged with one felony count each of human trafficking of a minor, pimping a minor, and pandering with a minor over 16 years old by procuring with a sentencing enhancement for human trafficking by force or fear. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years to life in state prison. The People will request he be held on $1 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.

Circumstances of the Case

Williams is accused of being a human trafficker/pimp who exploits women and/or children for financial gain. Pimps often establish rigid rules that their victims are expected to follow including setting daily quotas that the victims are expected to fulfill. The victims are required to turn over all payment they receive for sex acts from sex purchasers to their pimp. Failure to follow these rules can result in physical and/or emotional abuse. Continue reading→

Gang member Alberto Licona facing felony charges after fleeing police and crashing

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Alberto Licona, Picture Courtesy of Facebook

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CF1658

Date: July 28, 2015

GANG MEMBER CHARGED WITH DRIVING RECKLESSLY TO AVOID PEACE OFFICERS AND CAUSING CRASH THAT INJURED PASSENGERS

*Firearm tossed from vehicle still not recovered

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A criminal street gang member was arraigned today on charges of driving recklessly to avoid peace officers and causing a crash that injured his passengers. Alberto Licona, 18, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count of evading a peace officer and driving against traffic, one felony count of evading while driving recklessly and causing serious bodily injury or death, and sentencing enhancement allegations for criminal street gang activity. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 11 years in state prison. Licona is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing, Aug. 5, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

At the time of the crime, Licona is accused of being an active member of a criminal street gang. Continue reading→

Why have taggers in Orange County become so violent and dangerous?

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Crime, Gangs, Graffiti, Santa Ana 10 Comments

Photo Courtesy of the OC Weekly

A man was beaten and stabbed on Sunday night after confronting a group of taggers who were defacing a vacant house near Lincoln Avenue and Stinson Street, in Anaheim, according to the L.A. Times.

He was stabbed once in the lower back near South Stinson Street before another man “saw the incident, retrieved a handgun and shot four to five rounds into the air to stop the assault,” police Lt. Eric Trapp said, according to the O.C. Register. Continue reading→

SAPD police pursuit ends with a suspect crashing his car into a pole

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana Police Pursuit

SAPD gang detectives were apparently working on gang suppression in Santa Ana on Sunday night, in an area where there have been several shootings recently, when a vehicle they deemed to be of interest suddenly sped off.

There was a brief police pursuit of less than a minute when the suspect’s vehicle crashed into a pole, at about 9:22 p.m. in the 1300 block of South Flower Street, in Santa Ana, according to the O.C. Register. Continue reading→

Three men were shot on South Minnie Street early on Saturday morning

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Santa Ana shooting

It was another bloody Saturday in Santa Ana as three men were shot in the early morning, at around 4 a.m., near the 800 block of South Minnie Street, a few blocks from Villa Fundamental Intermediate School, according to the O.C. Register.

When SAPD officers arrived, they found two adult men struck by gunfire, both hit in the upper torso area. The victims were taken to a local hospital. A third victim, age 16, later came into the hospital with a gunshot wound in one of his legs. All of the victims are expected to survive. The teenager was treated and released to his parents. Continue reading→

Man sentenced to two years in prison for trying to pimp a woman in Santa Ana

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

OCDA Seal

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CF0403

Date: July 24, 2015

MAN SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS IN PRISON FOR ATTEMPTED PIMPING OF WOMAN

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man was convicted and sentenced to two years in state prison today for attempting to pimp a woman. Samuel Lee Hart, 29, Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty to one felony count of attempted pimping.

Circumstances of the Case

In February 2015, Hart drove 28-year-old Jane Doe to areas known for prostitution in Orange County with the intent to derive support from the money that Jane Doe received from performing commercial sex acts. The defendant pandered to the victim by promising her more money and encouraging the victim to engage in commercial sex.

On Feb. 25, 2015, officers from the Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) noticed Jane Doe loitering in areas known for prostitution in Santa Ana. An SAPD officer approached the victim and conducted further investigation, in which they found that the defendant had attempted to arrange for the victim to perform commercial sex acts with the intent that the victim give him all of the money that she collected from sex purchasers. Continue reading→

Man who allegedly sexually abused an underage girl in Tustin arrested in Stanton

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Stanton, Tustin Leave a comment

Carmen Simonetta

Arrest of Sexual Assault Suspect

Tustin Police Department

On July 21, 2015, a 24-year-old female came into the Tustin Police Department to report she had been sexually abused in the City of Tustin between the ages of 12 and 15. Tustin Police Detectives investigated the incident and were able to quickly corroborate the victim’s statements. The suspect was arrested the same day at his residence in the City of Stanton.

The suspect, Carmen Simonetta, 54-years old, was booked at the Orange County Jail on charges of lewd acts on a child, sodomy, digital penetration and continual sexual abuse of a minor. Continue reading→

Church volunteer charged with sexually assaulting young boys

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Churches and Religion, Crime, Garden Grove, Orange County Leave a comment

Isai Beltran, Courtesy of the Orange County District Attorney’s office

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15WF1312

Date: July 23, 2015

OCDA AND GGPD SEEK PUBLIC’S HELP IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL VICTIMS OF YOUTH GROUP VOLUNTEER CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL BATTERY OF MULTIPLE YOUNG BOYS

WESTMINSTER, Calif.– The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) and the Garden Grove Police Department (GGPD) are seeking the public’s help identifying potential additional victims of a youth group volunteer charged with sexually assaulting two boys under the age of 18. Isai Beltran, 25, Long Beach, is charged with two felony counts of performing lewd acts on a child under the age of 14, one misdemeanor count of sexual battery, and one misdemeanor count of child annoyance. If convicted, Beltran faces a maximum of 10 years in state prison. Beltran is out of custody on $100,000 bail, and is scheduled for a continued arraignment, tomorrow, July 24, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. in Department W-12, West Justice Center, Westminster.

Between January 2013 and December 2014, Beltran is accused of working as a youth group volunteer at several churches in Los Alamitos and Cypress. Continue reading→

Costa Mesa cop accused of filing a fraudulent workers’ compensation claim

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Costa Mesa, Crime, OCDA, Orange County Leave a comment

OC Fraud News

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CF1637

Date: July 23, 2015

COSTA MESA POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICER CHARGED FOR COMMITTING INSURANCE FRAUD AGAINST CITY OF COSTA MESA

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) officer was charged today for committing insurance fraud by presenting a false insurance claim and making false material statements related to the claim. Ryan Patrick Natividad, 30, Corona, is charged with one felony count of insurance fraud and one felony count of making a fraudulent statement. If convicted, Natividad faces a maximum sentence of six years in jail. He is expected to be arraigned tomorrow in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.

On Sept. 23, 2014, Natividad is accused of reporting a work-related injury to his employer CMPD. Natividad is accused of falsely claiming earlier in the day, he had struck his fist against a wall when attempting to prevent an arrestee from stumbling into the wall while escorting the arrestee from the patrol vehicle into jail. Natividad is accused of filing a fraudulent workers’ compensation claim. He was subsequently directed by CMPD to seek immediate medical attention. Continue reading→

Toxicology results show that Erica Alonso had a lethal dose of GHB and alcohol in her system

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Drugs, Orange County 2 Comments

Erica Alonso pic

NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org

Erica Alonso Death Investigation

UPDATE: Toxicology Results & Cause of Death

SANTA ANA, Calif. – (July 22, 2015) – On Tuesday, July 21, 2015, Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigators obtained results of toxicology tests performed on Erica Alonso, 28, Laguna Hills. The results indicate Ms. Alonso had varying levels of alcohol and Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in her system at the time of her death.

Based on the Ms. Alonso’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .22 and the amount of GHB found in her system, the Coroner Division has determined the combination and amounts were lethal. The Coroner Division has determined the cause of death to be an overdose; however, the manner remains undetermined. Continue reading→

Father to be charged with murdering infant and lewd acts on the 14-year-old mother

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Jordan Mendez

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CF1623

Date: July 21, 2015

FATHER TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR MURDERING INFANT BOY AND COMMITTING LEWD ACTS ON 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A father is scheduled to be arraigned today for murdering his infant boy and committing lewd acts on a 14-year-old girl. Jordan Peter Mendez, 20, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count of murder and one felony count of committing lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14. If convicted, Mendez faces a maximum sentence of 33 years to life in state prison. Mendez is currently being held on $ 1 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.

Between June 1, 2014, and Aug. 31, 2014, Mendez is accused of committing lewd acts upon Jane Doe, who was under the age of 14. Continue reading→

Will Councilman Tinajero put rainbows on the Santa Ana police officers too?

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Santa Ana City Councilman Sal Tinajero will term out in 2018 but before he leaves he wants to put a rainbow flag next to the US and State flags at City Hall, as we posted about earlier this week.

We find it ridiculous that Tinajero is wasting civic time and resources on this when our city has so many other more serious problems – including a rise in crime and an out of control Santa Ana Police Department that is being sued for beating up a suspect and for breaking and entering into medical marijuana clinics, destroying their property and eating their marijuana edibles. Continue reading→

Infant allegedly beaten by his father, in Santa Ana, has died

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Jordan Mendez

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: UPDATE: SAPD Detectives Investigate Child Homicide- Victim, 3 Month Old Child, Dies

Victim: Tristin Cota La Verne Mendez ( 3 months old) Male

The Orange County Coroner’s Office advised SAPD Homicide Detectives that while on life support the victim passed away this afternoon 7-20-2015. Detectives are now investigating this death as a Homicide. Autopsy is scheduled for 7-21-2015. Continue reading→

SAPD to host the 2015 National Night Out and Traffic Safety Fair on August 4

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Bicycles, Crime, Entertainment, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The Santa Ana Police Department is hosting the 2015 National Night Out and Traffic Safety Fair on Tuesday, August 4th from 4 p.m.- 7 p.m. at Jerome Park, located at 726 S. Center Street, in Santa Ana.

This event includes: Continue reading→

SAPD arrests a father suspected of assaulting his infant, who may not survive

Posted on July 18, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Detectives Investigate Possible Child Homicide

On Friday, 07-17-15, at approximately 8:42 pm, Santa Ana police officers were dispatched to the 800 block of W. Stevens in reference to a baby not breathing. When officers arrived, they confirmed the 3-month old infant was not breathing. Officers and OCFA personnel performed CPR on the infant and he was subsequently transported to CHOC in critical condition.

CHOC medical staff observed signs of physical trauma on the infant. The infant is currently on life support and is not expected to survive. Homicide detectives responded to handle the investigation. Continue reading→